The Vines
by That Elusive Reader
Summary: "Everything was going to be fine. I took another step. Then, all hell broke loose." Nina Martin is about to be married when the sky falls and brings a man with it, a man to whom thinks she owes him a debt before she marries. What will happen to her? Will the debt be re-payed? What is the debt? What will happen in the city of love this time? Read. Very AU. Sequel to The Waterways.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello again. Here it is. The sequel to The Waterways…THE VINES! Yea, I know. Strange names. IF you haven't read The Waterways, you need to, just go to my profile and click on it, then read it, then come back and read this. Got it? Good. Now, READ!**

**I don't own HOA.**

* * *

Nina's POV

_The bells were ringing. _

_It was real. _

_I was going to do this. _

I griped Jerome's arm tightly, hanging onto the muscle of his arm. A rock at this time. All that I had been through, it was all done. Done. And gone. Now was the present. The future was just around the corner. I could taste it.

I took a step into the hall.

This was it. My last day as a Martin.

I took another step.

This was the day I was giving my all to him.

I took another step.

This was perfect.

I took another step.

This was heaven on earth.

I took another step.

Everything was going to be fine.

I took another step.

Then, all hell broke loose.

The roof fell in.

The tar and shingles of the roof fell down from the sky, raining down on my family and my new family and the peasants I had helped.

Ropes fell into the hole that had been created in the ceiling.

I felt Fabian beside me, and the rest of our family around us, protecting us. We were the wanted ones here.

The crowd began to close around us, protecting us from the intruders.

"Help me up," I told Jerome and Mick. They understood. Up on their shoulders.

When I was above the level of the crowd I could see who had intruded on our wedding.

"Nina Martin," he called out, swinging a sword at my living guard. I glared at him. "What a pleasure it is to see you. Tell me, is everything perfect?"

I glared at him. "Rufus Zeno, get out of my wedding. You weren't invited." I clenched my fist in Jerome's hair, making him wince.

Rufus laughed. "You see darling, I was invited. You owe me too much for me not to be excepted into your life," he said, making large gestures with his arms, waving at the crowd. "Darling, you must be insane to think I wouldn't come to this party!"

"I'm not. You are," I answered coldly. Thank god I had weapons on me.

"Me, insane? Oh, that's quite possibly true. But you see, you still owe me a whole lot," he said, leaning forward. The crowd backed up, pressing us more closely together.

"I owe you nothing," I said coldly.

"Oh but you do. Girl, give me the contract," he ordered some girl he had brought with him. I watched at the sad thing opened his bag and began to root around in it. "FASTER!" he yelled. She jumped and handed him a long sheet of parchment. "Ah yes, I remember when you signed this. 'I, Nina Martin, hearby agree that if Rufus Zeno gives me back my family, I will repay him 2,000 in gold.' My, my, my, what a price. Oh! And what does it say here? 'I will do this before my wedding day…'" He stared up at me, I glared back.

"That contract is not valid. It went out of date three years ago," I answered.

"Oh, but you see, my contracts don't abide by the city rules, I go by my own rules," he answered. "And you owe me 2,000 pieces of gold, right about now."

There was no way I was going to get out of this…alive.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it isn't long, but it's just a taste of what is to come. Thanks guys! Hope you enjoy. (Sorry if I didn't get you in the credits on The Waterways, you can still get in the credits at the end of this one!) PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR SUCH POSITIVE RESPONSES! LOVE YOU! Now, beginning the story…**

**I don't own HOA.**

* * *

Nina's POV

"You have no right," called out Jerome, rubbing his head with his free hand.

"Oh but you see, I do," answered Rufus, sitting down on one of the pews.

"I can pay you!" called Fabian from next to me.

No. He couldn't do that.

"No, it's my debt," I said quickly.

Rufus laughed evilly. "See boy, this girl has her mind set right. She's a good girl."

"I can lend you the money! It's only fair, you've saved my life!" cried Fabian.

"I've saved yours. I owe you no debt. Only him," I answered in a deadpan voice.

"Good girl. I want the money by the end of this week, if you don't give it to me, I will be most displeased…" He began to laugh.

Before we knew what was going on, he was gone, leaving me and my beautiful wedding in rubble.

What was I going to do?

**LINE BREAK**

"AAAHHHHHH!" I screamed. I clutched my stomach, forcing myself to feel the reality of this world. "No! NO! NO! It's not happening, Nina. It's not real!" I sat up and began to rock myself back and forth. "It's not real. Just a dream. A dream." I covered my warm face with my cold fingers.

"Nina?" called a voice from the door. Footsteps led over to my bed. "Nina, honey, are you okay?" Warm arms enveloped me.

Amber.

I gave into the force of tears behind my eyes.

"I had a dream," I muttered. "It was nothing. I wish…I—" I broke into more sobs.

"Nothing's going to hurt you know, Nina," said Amber, stroking my hair. "Everything is fine…Shh…honey, it was a dream."

When I had recovered just barely, looked at her carefully. "I know. But part of it was good. I had a dream that I was marrying Fabian."

"Really?" asked Amber. "Are you forgetting what this Saturday is?"

I felt my eyes widen as I realized this. "Amber, please tell me, did I pay off Rufus."

"I'd have to ask Joy or Mara…" she said.

"Ask them now."

"Alright…" she said as she hurried out of the room.

If I hadn't I needed the gold soon.

Please let that dream not be true.

A few minutes later, Amber rushed in followed by Joy and Mara. Mara was holding what looked like an official looking book. Joy had a strange expression her face.

"We hadn't meant to tell you this, but you haven't paid it off yet," said Joy, sitting down on my bed carefully. "But…"

"We've always saved some of the money from all of the raids or stealing, that's why things were so tough," Mara explained, snapping closed the book. "We've saved about a half of it."

"We still need a thousand gold pieces?" I asked.

Mara nodded carefully. "But why the sudden rush?" she asked.

"Let's just say, some things are to insane to explain," I said as I looked out at the moonlit city. "Amber, tell the others I'll be back in two days with the money. There must be a few people who I haven't robbed yet." I jumped off the bed, tossing the blankets into a ball as I did so.

"WHAT!?" cried Mara and Joy together.

"Are you insane!?" hissed Joy.

"Have you lost your mind!" cried Mara.

"No," I answered. "I've got to pay this before Saturday, or…" I shuddered. "Let's just say it won't be very happy if I don't do this."

Amber's eyes were possibly the most sad thing I had ever seen at that moment. "What should we tell Fabian?"

I strapped my sword to my hip. I looked up at her. "The Truth," I answered before jumping out the window and into the night.

* * *

**A/N: TADA! DONE! (with the chapter). Please Review, you probably have an idea of what it does to an author! (If you don't, it practically makes their day and thus makes them want to write more, so reviews are good.)**

**Oh, and if you didn't understand it, the wedding was a dream. Sorry, don't kill me!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry it isn't too long. But it's a good stopping point. **

**I don't own HOA.**

Nina's POV

Sometimes, things aren't what they seem. Most of the time they aren't, in fact. Like Venice. People think it's an adventure, and don't get me wrong, it is…but there's always more to life than meets the eye.

"What are you doing on my roof?" called a voice through the moonlight.

I jumped. I was sitting on a rooftop near the main square, thinking things through. The night are was cold against my skin.

"Sorry," I muttered, standing up. "Didn't think anyone was home."

The girl who had called out to me, cocked her head to the side. "Who are you? You look familiar."

"Ni-Night's Cloak," I answered, rolling my shoulders back and forth, preparing to jump onto another roof.

"What are you doing?" she asked, leaning out her window.

I blinked. "Leaving."

"Why?"

"I've got a debt to pay," I muttered. The girl considered me.

"How much do you need?" she asked. I frowned.

"I don't take charity, so don't offer," I said and sprinted off the roof. I wasn't in the mood for human interactions today, in fact I didn't think I'd be in that mood for a while.

"Who can I steal from that I haven't already?" I wondered.

Then an idea popped into my head. Perfect, but dangerous.

May the Duke beware, for he better watch out for the Night.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: TADA! Here I am. Thank you all so much for reviews/whatever, I'm too lazy to write it. THANK YOU. Now read and review!**

**I don't own HOA. (Though I do own HOZ which my fingers seem to want to write everytime I do that!)**

Nina's POV

I heard music when I approached the Duke's mansion. The music was sweat and it felt like it was real.

"'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free," I heard floating through the highest window. The singer was obviously a girl who had a load of experience with music. "'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, 'Twill be in the valley of love and delight." I pressed myself against the tower wall and began to climb. I knew this person. At least I thought I did. "When true simplicity is gain'd, To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd, To turn, turn will be our delight, Till by turning, turning we come 'round right."

I was beneath the window I thought the voice was coming from.

"Mother?" called the singer's voice. A sigh. "It was worth a shot, Zara."

"I know," said the same voice. "But it's just not the same without her nowadays."

"Nothing is."

I jumped up on the window sill. "Wait, there are two of you!" I cried, shocked at the sight of two beautiful girls sitting in the room on the bed next to the window I was sitting in. They were identical.

"WHO ARE YOU!" yelled one of them, the girl on the right.

I swung my legs into the room, "Me, I'm just another person in this world."

"Yes, but what is your name?" asked the girl on the left.

"Me, oh my name is," I stood up and began walking towards them. They stayed where they were. "The Night's Cloak."

Fabian's POV

Nina could sometimes over react to things.

That is what I had gather from when I had first met her. Those few days had been the most adventure I wanted for a lifetime, but she seemed to get no end of it. She called it good.

I called it stupid.

I still think I'm right.

I guess I should have known she had some debt to repay before her wedding day. It figures. I mean, our relationship was built on stealing.

But today was different. I hadn't expected it at all.

Ever since my father had died and left the mansion to me and my siblings, we had all lived there. Nina had too, when she wasn't stealing or catching up with her family or distributing the money.

But today, I hadn't expected the news. I normally did expect some rich person to the robbed in the night, but not this one.

"THE DUKE! THE DUKE!" called out a street caller. "THE DUKE WAS ROBBED LAST NIGHT! THIEVES ARE BEING QUESTIONED! BUY THE PAPER!" I jumped up from where I had been sitting on boat, reading in the noonday sun.

"Sir!" I called in my country accent that I hadn't perfected yet. "Sir! Please, may I buy one?!"

The man turned to me and said, "Only if you have the money son. Two gold for this issue." I rummaged in my large pockets and picked up the two thin gold coins. When I got back to the boat, I flipped the paper over to read the article.

**DUKE ROBBED BY NIGHT**

_Last night, at around midnight, the Duke was robbed by a thief that no one can seem to ever find, The Night's Cloak. He stole two hundred gold, the most the Night's Cloak has ever stolen. There are rumors that this gold is for some great war machine that the Night's Cloak plans on using against his greatness, The Duke. The Duke has sent out cries of help to other royalty within and without the country, names such as King George or Queen Mary are some of the few royals who he has called out for guards. The thief was said to have come in through the tallest tower, the room of Ladies Amanda and Amelia, the daughters of the Duke. They were unharmed and are said to have slept through the whole thing, though accounts of other thieveries by The Night's Cloak always state that any people who were in the area of the attack were bound and gagged. What is going on with this? Who will be blamed? Will the thief be caught? Our best reporters are trying to find out. _

"Rubbish," I muttered and tossed the newspaper in the bottom of the boat. Might as well warn Nina that once again, she has the whole town against her.

It really is amazing how she doesn't think things through too much.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I don't own HOA**

* * *

Nina's POV

"_ARE YOU INSANE_!" hissed Amber when I came down into the dining room at the Rutters'.

"What?" I asked, rubbing my eyes, and biting into a buttered roll.

Amber glanced around then grabbed my wrist. "You stole from the _DUKE_!" she cried, dragging me out the room and into the parlor where the rest of my adopted family was sitting.

"You are suppose to be the most careful thief in Venice!" cried Joy. "You didn't think!"

I rolled my eyes and flopped onto a couch. "Look you lot, I was thinking. I've got a plan. Just leave me out of this."

"You are the centre of this young lady!" cried Amber. "If you didn't see the need to not tell us that you still had a debt from four years ago to the loser Rufus, why we all would've put more in!"

"Actually, it would be Mara and Joy to blame for that…" I put in.

"You just told us that it was a thousand gold, not two-thousand! And you won't even let anyone pay for it!" cried Amber.

I stood up, fed up with this conversation.

"AMBER! Enough! I know I should have done it differently! But you would've never let me pay the price for you! I wanted to! If you knew the full cost in that situation would you have told me to leave!?" I yelled. The room was silent until Amber said, "Yes."

"My point exactly. I couldn't live without my only family," I whispered, then turned on my heel and walking out of the room. I needed away from these people.

I heard a bell gonging as I walked down the elegant hallway to my room in this mansion.

It wasn't the dinner bell as it was only nine in the morning.

It was a memory…

_DONG!...DONG!...DONG!...DONG!...DONG!..._

_I was standing on a platform, about twenty feet above the ground. A man was standing on another platform in front of me about twenty feet away. Between us was another platform, hovering about a pit of water, my family was lying, passed out, upon that. _

_"So, Miss Martin!" yelled the man on the platform, he began pacing across the front of it. "I hold the switch of your family's lives. Will you save them? Or is money more valuable?" _

_"How can I save them?" I cried. _

_"Two-Zero-Zero-Zero gold pieces," he answered. I about wanted to fall in myself, but I couldn't. If I did, they would only join me. If I didn't pay the price, I would be alone in Venice with a price on my head. _

_"By when?" I asked, hoping for some far off date. _

_"By your wedding day," he hissed, smiling. _

_"Deal," I said._

_He flicked a switch and the platform began to drift towards me. _

_"Unload your family, then come over to me to sign the contract," he said. _

_I did just that and when I returned to my family, Amber was coming round. _

_"Nina," she said softly. "Where are we?"_

_"Safe and sound," I answered, stroking back her hair. "We'll get home soon."_

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed that. Please review! Thanks in advance!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I don't own HOA**

* * *

Nina's POV

I found conciseness on the floor in the corridor where I had fallen asleep. The corridor was cold and dark, someone must have switched of the lights for the night. I shivered and sat up against the wall.

I could see moon light out the window, so it must have been late. I pushed myself off the floor and stumbled down the hall to a crossways.

This is why I hate mansions, they are too confusing. I prefer my old home, the simple one. The one back in the United States with Gran…

"Stay in the present Nina," I told myself and looked around the corner. There was the dining room, completely void of human life. I cracked my neck and quietly made my way down the hall opposite the dining room to my room.

From there, I jumped out the window into the cold black night.

**LINE BREAK!**

"So you're back?" asked Amanda, leaning out of the window to see me. "Come on up I suppose."

I climbed carefully up, placing my feet and hands carefully each time. When I reached the window, I saw the two girls I had seen the last night.

"You up for more?" I asked, swinging my legs in.

"Cloakie, we're up for anything you've got," said Amelia from her bed. I smiled.

"I'm really sorry to force this on you," I said, sitting down on one of the chairs in the tower room.

"Oh it's nothing. We've always wanted to cause mischief," said Amanda sitting down across from me. "Though I was wondering, how much do you have to pay this debtor?"

I swallowed. "Five times what I took last night," I answered.

"Almost a thousand gold pieces!" cried Amelia, sitting up suddenly. "Are you insane!? You can't take that much!" She stormed over to the table and sat next to Amanda. "Where do you plan on getting this money?!"

I bit my lip then sighed. "Look, Amanda, Amelia. I won't be able to pay you back—" I began.

"Why would you pay us back?" asked Amanda. "You're the one stealing it."

"It feels right to repay you," I answered simply.

"Well, we won't take your money. You obviously need it more than us," cried Amelia, throwing her hands in the air and making them slam onto the table with a loud _thunk_.

"Look Mr. Night's Cloak, all we ask in return is that you tell us who you are, truly," requested Amanda. I sighed. There goes another night of peaceful takings.

"Well," I began. "I am not a man…"

* * *

Fabian's POV

I have found that reading in the canal is quiet the relaxing thing to do. Especially when your fiancé has a large debt to pay and won't let you pay it. Today, I was just floating down the canal, trying to keep my mind on the book in front of me and not in my ears. See, my ears, the offending objects, were listening to the streets on the other side of the buildings.

"STRAWBERRIES!" called one voice in the chorus of street hawkers.

"SILENCE!" called a loud, powerful voice. "IT IS HEREBY DECLARED THAT ALL THIEVES MUST REPORT TO THE DUKE'S MANSION AT NOON TODAY!"

I sat up. This was it, who had been robbed last night.

"THIS POWER HUNGRY THIEF HAS STOLEN FROM THE DUKE! AND NOW HE HAS STOLEN THREE HUNDRED GOLDEN PIECES FROM THE PRINCE!"

I dropped my book.

What had Nina been thinking.

* * *

**A/N: I was going to be mean and stop here, but I won't. So go one. READ!**

* * *

Nina's POV 

I was watching the square from the roof top of a nearby house.

"THIS THIEF IS HEREBY DECLARED THE MOST WANTED THIEF IN THE HISTORY OF VENICE!"

That was new. Normally it was just, catch that thief, he's gotten out of hand.

"THREE THOUSAND GOLD IS THE PRICE THE PRINCE AND THE DUKE WILL PAY FOR HIS REVILEMENT!"

Oh no.

Three thousand gold.

That would pay off all my debts, for no debt at all. This just might be the best plan ever.

* * *

**A/N: Yea, it's short. Sorry. But I have homework and choir. And I have to eat. I probably should've done my homework now, but I'm a horrid procrastinating scholar. Anyway, I have a question for you. What do you think ****WHAT IS NINA'S PLAN! ****Just to not kill you, I promise to write another chapter tonight, and update tomorrow at this time. You have 24 hours to guess, then I'm going to announce the winner. No, you don't get anything other than a load of applause from me. I will not tell anyone in PMs. GO! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry I didn't get this out yesterday. Congrats to gloferbabe for guessing correctly (for what I had in mind, but then my mind decided to ramble). My brother had a play and I really needed to get an idea out of my head, so I spent all afternoon yesterday writing that. So that'll probably be out by Christmas. And I've got a lot on my plate. I have school, this, and my mom's uncle died and it's my birthday in a week, so this kind of dropped off the edge onto the napkin. Then it got thrown away. Then I saved it from getting thrown away. **

**Okay, I think you're through with the metaphor. **

**Okay, Sorry again. That was from Wednesday when I originally planned to write this, but then we had a family death and everything was insane, and we're building a model of Hogwarts for Christmas Gingerbread houses at school, and then…yea. Everything was physco. So now I am writing this with 42 minutes of battery on my computer in a dark car somewhere in Indiana (a time change and seven hours away from home on a highway.)**

**I don't own HOA.**

* * *

Nina's POV

I leaped off the roof and ran home to where my family was. I found them staring at a paper on the table. Jerome looked up at me.

"Hey, Martin," he said. "Guess what, you're wanted."

"For a whole load of money," said Mara, lacing her fingers through Jerome's hand.

I nodded. "I heard. Are you two…?" I trailed off, pointing between them. Mara blushed, quickly unlacing her fingers from his, but Jerome clenched his fingers before she could.

"Yes, yes we are," answered Jerome, smiling down at her.

I laughed. "About time, I'd say, but I have a plan." They all looked up at me.

"What is it?" asked Amber.

"You cannot turn yourself in," said Willow, leaning down on the table and snatching away the newspaper and flipping it so she could read it. "Three-thousand gold isn't worth your life just to get out of a debt. You've got a wedding on Saturday for heaven's sake!"

I blinked at Willow. "But it's the only way to get away with the amount of money we need, but we know we can escape from the highest security in Venice, I've done it before!"

"We can't do that!" cried Eddie. "You can't do that to Fabian! Nina, see sense!"

"It's what I have to do in order to not be killed on my wedding night!" I cried, slamming my fist into the table. Everyone stared at me in shock.

"This was the bargain for our lives," asked Amber, shocked.

I blinked and looked up at the ceiling. The brown paint was cracking. "Yes," I said quietly. "It was my life for yours if I didn't pay the debt."

Everyone looked at me. Piper and Patricia slipped up next to me.

"Auntie Nina," said Piper, putting her slender hand on mine. "Are you going to die?"

"Don't be silly Pipes," said Amber, taking her onto her lap, "Nina isn't going to die, honey."

"Are you sure?" asked Patricia, staring up at her sisters. Amber nodded at her.

"I promise."

I looked up at her. It was so sad to see her, she was alone in the world, having to take care of her two much younger twin sisters and herself. She had the weight of the world on her shoulders, and she had to be twenty years older than she was. It wasn't going to end well.

"I've got to sleep on this," I said, standing up, not looking at anyone.

I heard Mick follow me up the stairs. When I reached my door I turned to see him behind me.

"Look, I'm not going to make a run for it, okay," I said, putting a hand on the door gently. "I couldn't do that to Patricia or Piper."

I turned my back on him and went into my room to sleep.

* * *

Fabian's POV

Apparently the new tradition is to not see your betrothed for a week before the wedding. That's how Nina is acting. I haven't seen her in three days, too long in my opinion.

And I don't fancy seeing her going to the gallows.

"Sire!" cried a voice, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Misstress Mina wishes to see you."

I glanced up, and followed the boy out of the room and to my sister's.

"Yes?" I asked.

She looked pale, like she had been transformed into a ghost from the last time I had seen her.

"What is it?" I asked.

She merely pushed a paper towards me. I sat down and looked at the title.

**Thief Captured Late Last Night In Market Square**

I stopped.

Nina.

* * *

Third Person POV

Two men were sitting in a watch tower, looking out at Venice.

"Did you hear about that thief?" asked one to the other. The one who had spoken looked about sixty years old with a receding hair line and weathered features.

"Of course," scoffed the other man, who looked about thirty. "Every person on the planet has probably heard of it."

"How did they finally agree that the Night's Cloak was captured?" asked the first one.

"All we've got is the man's word and the capturer," answered the second man. "Do you want some tea, I'll go put some on."

"Sure," answered the fist man, waving at the second. "I've got this."

The second man smiled gratefully at the first and got up to go to the kitchen.

"What is Venice coming to?" muttered the first man as he stared out at the lit city. All of the sudden a figure stood up in front of his window, but it was too dark to see it correctly. The man shot to the window in spite of his age and looked around. "WHO IS IT!" he called into the night. There was no answer, but as he glanced down at the sill, he noticed a paper. It had six words on it in large black handwriting.

**_The Night's Cloak Has Not Fallen_**

* * *

**A/N: So yup. Please Review. And sorry for the long delay and note. I've been really busy and then my computer died and I had to write the last part at night. So yea…**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: So yea, I've got to research some person and write something for science because we watched a movie and I'm doing this. I know, I'm a procrastinator. But hey, I've got seven/eight hours to waste and only five hours of battery power… Ah well… Here it is**

**I don't own HOA. (I think I've managed to remember to write that every chapter:)**

* * *

Fabian's POV

I sank farther into the chair. Mina looked sadly at me.

"I'm sorry Fabian, but it looks like you aren't going to be married after all," she said quietly, gently putting her hand on mine.

I swallowed and removed my hand and stood up.

"Mina, we will. Be prepared, Nina has a plan. She'll get out of there. She always has," I said stubbornly, but I knew, deep down that there was no hope. She was gone. Everything that we had worked for was going to be gone.

"She might not," Mina said quietly as I left the room. "You've got to know that."

"I do," I muttered. "That's why I can't accept it."

* * *

Third Person POV

Two girls were sitting on a roof near the main square. The two were about the same age and obviously close friends. They both were wearing brown dresses tied at the waist with a rope. Their brown hair was braided back and covered with a cloth.

"Madeline are you positive that today is the day that they are going to hang the Night's Cloak?" asked one of the girls.

"Yes, Emma, I've heard it from the Duke himself!" cried the girl named Madeline.

"I'm not sure. It doesn't seem like him to get caught. The Night's Cloak is suppose to be the sneakiest thief in the world!" cried Emma.

"I know!" answered Madeline.

"But last year they said that they had caught the Night's Cloak, but it was a girl!" cried Emma.

"This whole thing needs to be resolved," muttered Madeline.

"Agreed."

"Look here comes the guard!" Madeline pointed at the square.

"Let the show begin," said Emma, leaning forward.

* * *

Fabian's POV

I was sitting in my room, staring at a book.

"Fabian?" said a voice from behind me. I glanced behind me at the door and saw my sister, Agatha, standing there.

"What is it?" I asked hollowly.

"You might want to go to the square," said Agatha quietly. I looked back at my book.

"I don't want to," I muttered staring at the page about pies.

"Why are you even reading a cooking book?" asked Agatha, walking up behind me and grabbing the book. "And you want to go, the police are making sure that everyone is there for the hanging!"

I swallowed. "Say I'm sick."

"They'll get the Doctors to check you," answered Agatha, putting the book down on the table again. "Come on, you don't have to watch."

I sighed and stood up and let her lead me out of the room to my best friend and fiancé's death show.

**BREAK**

When we reached the square Agatha and I stood at the back and watched as three burly guards came out of the jail I had been in a while ago with Nina for being caught stealing from my father.

When there was a gap in the guards I looked away, so I wouldn't see her helpless face in the crowd of men.

When they reached the platform then men forced her into the hangman's loop, I could tell from the jeers and boos of the crowd.

I looked up in spite of myself, to take one last look of my love.

It was then that I realized that something was off.

* * *

Nina's POV

There were too many people. Why were there so many people here to experience my death? Why? I was just a humble thief, nothing more. That's how I made my living, helping the people in need.

But this was insane.

It wasn't right.

* * *

**A/N: Am I killing you yet? Just wait, it gets worse. I'm so going to be killing your soul in the next part. Sorry, don't kill me, because then you won't be able to know what happens. **

* * *

Nina's POV

I pushed through the crowd.

This was wrong. He shouldn't die for me. Why would he think it was he duty to do that? It wasn't. It was mine.

"NO!" I yelled, pushing through the crowd. I felt hands pulling me back. Hands trying to pull me down, away from the guards.

"No, Nina, this wasn't your choice, it was his," hissed a girl's voice in my ear, Amber's.

"It's my fate, not his," I gasped, trying to catch my breath. "Mara doesn't deserve it."

I turned to look at her.

"Nina, we're going to try and save him. And they both agreed that it was the right thing to do," Amber said quietly. "You are the top priory, you aren't going to do anything."

"Amber, I'm not a child!" I cried.

"You were once," she answered before disappearing into the crowd.

I stared after the spot where I thought she had vanished to.

"Why are you killing me?" I muttered before turning the opposite way.

There was no way I wasn't going to get him out of this alive.

* * *

**A/N: Well I guess you know who is going to die…or do you?**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay, well yea. I'm here again. So yea. Today is my birthday, rather it was my birthday when I started writing this which I won't tell you when that was. Anyway. Here is the next chapter…**

**I am so sorry I haven't updated in ages! I've had a lot going on and it's just slipped off the edge. **

**What do you know, it's been eleven days since I started this. Wow. I feel like a procrastinator…Sorry. DON'T KILL ME!**

**I don't own HOA.**

* * *

Jerome's POV

There were only three thoughts in my head.

One, Mara had the money.

Two, Amber and the gang were going to save me.

Three, Nina was totally going to kill me for this.

I felt myself being pulled up to the platform.

They really need another death sentence. I mean, haven't they noticed that we always escape?

Then something surprised me.

My shackles were lose and the men weren't holding onto me.

This was my chance.

* * *

Nina's POV

I had been walking around the edge of the square when I bumped into Mara.

"Nina!" she cried, pulling me up from the ground. "What are you doing here!" she hissed into my ear, trying to push me away from the crowded square.

"Don't you care that he's going to die?" I asked.

She glanced hurriely around. "Nina, he isn't going to die. The guards will set him free," she hissed, shoving me away into an alley.

I turned back to the square.

"He's my best friend," I muttered.

"He's my love," she whispered, pushing me one last time into the empty city. "Go. Go hide. We're all going to lay low for a few days, until the wedding."

And so that was why I ran away from the death of my best friend. That was why I ran, and why I ran to hide.

* * *

Jerome's POV

This was too easy.

Mara and Joy must've bribed the guards.

I shot out of the loop of guards and raced through the crowd. Surprisingly they made way for me, but not the soldiers behind me.

I ran into the empty streets, cutting corners and through deserted dark alleys. The city was empty.

Because everyone had been wanting to watch my death.

I jumped up some stairs that were outside of a building, running up onto the roof top. I sprinted across town, leaping over the gaps in the roofs.

There was only one thought inside my head.

I was going to get away.

* * *

**A/N: So sorry that I haven't updated. I will try and update again this weekend, but no promises, I have to finish writing a paper L and do a bunch of other stuff…REVIEW PLEASE!**

**And so sorry it's so short. **


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Okay, so because I live in Wisconsin and we got a huge storm yesterday/today I decided that I should use my two days of no school before break to update this story. I am truly sorry I haven't written more, I've just been so busy preparing for a concert we will now not have. I am really mad about that. Anyway, my muse decided to concentrate on my model of Hogwarts, that looks amazing by the way. So this kind of got lost in all the snow. **

**And here it is. **

**I don't own HOA.**

* * *

Nina's POV

Two days.

That was how long I had been hiding. Two long nights on the rooftops, not knowing where I would eat tomorrow or where I would sleep that night.

Two days.

And today was my wedding day.

* * *

Fabian's POV

"Fabian, I'm sure she'll show up!" cried a female voice. I was pacing back and forth.

"What if she's dead Mina!" I cried, thrusting my hands through my hair. "What if she's dead," I whispered, sinking onto a large red chair. "I don't think I'd be able to live if she was dead."

My sister appeared by my elbow.

"You are going to get through today. She will show up. I have word from every single one of them that they will show up tonight for the wedding." She held five slips of paper. "They all are going to be here. Mara said that she sent Nina to the rooftops." Mina stood up. "I sure their just getting her ready."

"She better show up," I muttered, looking over at the black clothes I would be wearing for the ceremony. "Or I will murder her."

Mina smiled, laughing. "You wouldn't do that."

"No, but I may just have to do something else," I smiled.

* * *

Nina's POV

Today was the day that I would give away my last name. Martin for Rutter. Fine switch if you asked me.

I had to go home.

It was around noon when I managed to get to the mansion in one piece. From the shudder I received from the maid who answered the back door, I realized I must look awful.

I hadn't bathed since…well, too long to be mentionable. My hat was riddled with rat wholes and my clothes were covered in dust. My hair was messed up and bits of stone and dirt were stuck in it.

"Sorry, but is Amber there?" I asked. "It's Nina Martin." The poor maid nodded, ushering me in quickly, in case the neighbors were looking.

"No you just wait here ma'am," she said, hurrying out the kitchen, then coming back in a minute later. "She told me that you are to bathe and then she'll come and see you."

I nodded. Sounded like Amber sure enough.

**BREAK**

I found Amber sitting in my room that I had used in the old mansion. She was holding a long white gown in her hands.

I took one glance at it and shuddered. "What were you thinking?" I asked, frowning and crossing my arms across the thin robe I was wearing.

"It's fashion Neens," Amber muttered, unzipping the dress. "And if you don't get in here now, I will knock you out and force you into it."

"Not much of a choice there, is it?" I muttered, grabbing the undergarments from her and walking behind the screen.

"No, but honestly Nina, why do you have to be so annoyed with everything I do!?" asked Amber's voice. I snorted coming out so she could tie my laces. "It's not my fault you have no fashion sense," she said, pulling at the laces. I grunted.

"And it's not my fault that I would prefer to run around at night in men's clothes verses sitting around drinking—" Grunt. "—Tea all day." I ran a hand along my now slimmer waist. "Just put the damn dress on. Let's get this over with."

"Watch your mouth lady!" she demanded, carefully picking up the dress and helping me into it. "There. You look lovely."

I smiled. "Now for your hair…" she began.

I groaned. Not more pain!

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I know. You are going to try and maim me now. Don't because I promise to update tomorrow with the ending, and maybe the epilogue. So, just 24 more hours of staring at the again and again and you will know the ending of the story! Anywho. See you tomorrow! PLEASE REVIEW! (You get recognition!) J**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: So my family is making me sit through Rudolf, so I am going to write this now. I hate Rudolf, it's scary, have you ever noticed that? **

**I don't own HOA**

* * *

Nina's POV

Amber's fashion sense was painful.

Let me spell it out for you.

P-Probably too much spent

A-All in all, too much pain

I-I'll never let her plan Mara or Joy's weddings

N-Never going to trust her again with my dressing

F-Fully fed up with doing this

U-Unanimous decision to stop all Amber fashions

L-Loopy is what I'm going to be when this is done with

"Nina!" cried Amber, shoving a bouquet of flowers at me, pulling me out of my creativity. "Pay attention! You can't zone out at the altar!"

"Don't remind me," I muttered.

"You don't want to marry him?" she asked, the arm holding the flowers dropping slightly.

"I do, don't get me wrong," I said quickly, taking the flowers and poking at the flowers gently. "I want to marry him, it's just…I'm afraid."

"Of what?" asked Amber.

"Nothing…Everything," I answered, gesturing to the world with my hands. I sighed. "I guess I'm just afraid of what will happen afterwards."

"Nina, it will be alright," Amber said, putting a hand on my arm and steering me to the door. "Honestly, there is nothing that could go wrong!"

"Did you pay of Rufus?" I asked, stepping into the carriage that would take me to the church.

"Of course," Amber said, looking carefully out the window. "I promise that we payed him. I wouldn't want you to die!"

I nodded.

I could do this.

**BREAK**

The bells were ringing.

It was real.

I was going to do this.

"You ready?" asked a voice beside me. I looked up to see Jerome's teasing face next to me. I nodded stiffly.

"Nothing a master can't handle," I said, clutching the bundle of white flowers in my right hand and slipping my left arm through his right. "I can do this," I muttered before taking a deep breath in.

"You'll be fine Neens," said a beautiful blonde in a pale blue robe. Amber. She was head bride's maid. Jerome was best man.

"You're the most beautiful girl here," smiled Joy, patting my hand.

"Everything is going to be fine, Ms. Martin," said Mick, coming up from behind me.

"Just relax," said Eddie.

"You are pretty!" cried Patricia in her young voice. I smiled slightly.

"Don't drop flowers!" Piper exclaimed.

"We're supporting you the whole way," Willow commented. "Literally. If you faint, someone will help you. Maybe the whole place because you're the one who saves everyone."

"Enjoy it. It only comes once in a lifetime," smiled Mara, patting my shoulder.

"You're beautiful ," Trudy called from the door. "But you need to get out here soon or else!" She smiled and led my family into the hall.

"Congratulations Nina," said Mina, as she and her sister followed Amber, Joy, Willow, Piper, Patricia, and Mara.

"Who knew Fabes would hit gold," laughed Fabio, patting Jerome on the back.

"No one," answered Ariana.

"Everybody," said Alfreda.

"No, two people," cried Alberta.

"Three or four," corrected Agatha.

"The whole wide world," said Annabelle rolling her eyes at her siblings.

I laughed nervously as they too went into the hall.

It was now just me and Jerome waiting for the music.

I was going to do this. I could get through this.

I griped Jerome's arm tightly, hanging onto the muscle of his arm. A rock at this time. All that I had been through, it was all done. Done. And gone. Now was the present. The future was just around the corner. I could taste it.

I took a step into the hall.

This was it. My last day as a Martin.

I took another step.

This was the day I was giving my all to him.

I took another step.

This was perfect.

I took another step.

This was heaven on earth.

I took another step.

Everything was going to be fine.

I took another step.

I was going to marry Fabian.

I took another step and joined Fabian in front of the altar.

Everything was going to be alright.

* * *

**A/N: I know that I used the same ending as my other story, sorry, it was the right thing to do. Okay, so basically this story took place over a week. The first chapter (the dream) was on the Saturday night before the wedding. **

**So the next chapter will be the epilogue and then the credits for you all! So review, and I will include you!**


	12. Chapter 12

Nina's POV

Everything was perfect.

Fabian and I were happy. Mara and Jerome were happy. Amber and Alfie were happy. Piper and Patricia were happy.

Everyone was happy.

After the wedding, everything was perfect. Fabian and I had spent out honeymoon **(Is it bad that I don't** **know how to spell that?)** happily, even though Amber planned it out.

I was ecstatically happy.

I had a daughter. And her name was Ivory Ysabelle and she was beautiful.

* * *

Ivory's POV (14 years later)

My name is Ivory Ysabelle Rutter. And I am the Night's Cloak.

I was trained by my mother. I was trained by the best of the best.

It is my job to continue the family business, as a Robin Hood of sorts.

My father taught me how to read. I was trained by the best of the best.

Whenever I'm not training to become the greatest thief in history, I read. I read stories of knights and ladies who don't really need saving. I read of magicians who charm dragons and people alike. I read to comfort my acts of wrong.

I have read the laws of Venice. I know them.

But if I don't break them, people will die.

This is my choice and my life. I choose to be free among prisoners. Free among the unrighteous. Free…

"IVY!" yelled a voice from the stairs to my room.

I lived in my father's mansion with my family. We were a happy family. I had a younger brother, but he was just a scholar, not a thief.

"COMING!" I yelled, jumping up from the desk in my small attic room.

I liked it that way. It was comfortable to be small.

I sprinted down the stairs to the landing, where my short brother was. As much as I take after my mother, he takes after my father. We are like exact replicas almost, except I have my father's eyes and my brother has my mother's eyes. "What?" I asked, leaning on the railing that always made him nervous.

"Get off of that! You'll fall to your death!"

"No I won't Oli," I said, shifting my weight away from the railing. "It's safe okay! Now what did you want?"

He frowned. He hated it when I called him Oli. His real name was Oliver Percy Rutter. He was eighteen months younger than me he like to remind everyone. Though we looked such the same age, it was amazing they didn't ask if we were twins.

"Don't call me that!" he muttered, crossing his arms.

"Look, if you didn't have anything to say, just let me leave," I said, mimicking his action.

"They want you downstairs," he said darkly. "They always want you and not me."

I sighed. "I didn't ask to be born first."

"But you were."

"Sorry Oliver!" I said, sprinting down the stairs two at a time. It was time to see what they wanted.

"Ivory Ysabelle!" cried Aunt Amber as soon as I entered the small living room. "How many times have I told you not to run down stairs!"

"About a billion," I muttered. "What is it?" I asked more clearly.

"We've got a job for you," said Joy from the mapping table in the corner. "And it isn't going to be easy."

* * *

**A/N: And that is where I'm going to leave you. If you want another sequel just say. But I don't think I'll start it until after the new year. Please leave a review! I'm giving you 24 hours! See ya after the new year! Merry/Happy Christmas/Hanukkah! **

**If I haven't made this clear yet, I don't own HOA.**


	13. Chapter 13: Credits

**A/N: Thank you all for reading this! I think I will be posting a sequel after the holidays. So expect something around January. **

**THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU READERS! It means a lot for you just to be taking the time to read this. **

**X**

**Reviewers:**

**-HOAVD**

**-From Anonymous**

**-houseofanubisfan2**

**-hoa1**

**-Sibunaismylife**

**-ArianaCimorelli**

**-PortalMaker**

**-MiaAndOak**

**-golferbabe**

**-wolfienjhoanfdwar**

**-MusicLoverGirl9078**

** X**

**Followers:**

**-wolfienjhoanfdawr**

**-houseofanubisfan2**

**-Toadetterocks15**

**-Sibunaismylife**

**-PortalMaker**

**-MusicLoverGirl9078**

**-MiaAndOak**

**-JustineHoA**

**-HOAVD**

**-ArianaCimorelli**

** X**

**Favoritors:**

**-houseofanubisfan2**

**-Toadetterocks15**

**-Sibunaismylife**

**-PortalMaker**

**-MusicLoverGirl9078**

**-KarateC18**

**-HOAVD**

**-From Anonymous**

**-ArianaCimorelli**

**X **

**THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! **


End file.
